Couples Barbados Update. Done Deal!

Montego Bay, January 14, 2013- Glenn Lawrence, CEO Couples Resorts announced today that Couples Resorts and Casuarina Beach Club Limited have concluded negotiations for the lease of the 280 room Almond Casuarina Beach Resort, in Barbados, effective February 10, 2013.

Under Couples Resorts management, the resort will operate as Casuarina Beach Resort through May 31, 2013, offering the same facilities and amenities currently being provided. During the period of February 10 – May 31, Couples Resorts will embark on a US$ 3 million facilities and property upgrade program designed to bring the resort up to the Couples Resorts standards.
The upgrades will include:
• New décor and amenities in public areas and guest rooms,
• New pool and Jacuzzi,
• New Spa and Salon,
• New Gym with state-of-the-art equipment and designated Yoga gazebo,
• New piano bar/lounge.

Effective June 1, 2013 the resort will be rebranded as Couples Barbados® and will become the island’s first and only all-inclusive resort exclusively for adult couples.

“We are thrilled to launch our first-ever venture in Barbados and believe this property located on the vibrant South Coast to be the perfect addition to the Couples Resorts family of boutique-style hotels,” states Couples Resorts’ CEO, Glenn Lawrence. “We look forward to introducing this resort to a new Couples audience and we are proud to provide our loyal Couples guests with another destination for them to call ‘home’”.

About Couples Resorts:
Couples Resorts, headquartered in Montego Bay, Jamaica, owns and operates four properties in Jamaica – Couples Tower Isle, Couples Sans Souci, Couples Swept Away and Couples Negril – and now one in Barbados – Couples Barbados. Pioneered by the legendary Abe Issa, “the father of Jamaican tourism,” each Couples Resort is an unsurpassed model of the all-inclusive resorts concept, boldly designed with local inspiration to create a harmonic sense of nature and authentic Caribbean spirit. For over 35 years, Couples has delighted guests and refined the Caribbean all-inclusive resort experience by providing unparalleled service, exceptional dining experiences and exclusive added value inclusions. For further information please visit Romantic Getaways At All Inclusive Couples Resorts In Jamaica | Couples Resorts Jamaica.

About Almond Casuarina Beach Resort:
The hotel known as Almond Casuarina Beach Resort, which was for several years managed by Almond Resorts Inc, is the property of Casuarina Beach Club Ltd which is owned by Goddard Enterprises Limited, The Barbados Shipping & Trading Co. Limited and Almond Resorts Inc. (“Owners”). This announcement follows on from the decision of the Owners to divest their investment in Casuarina Beach Club.

I notice that some of the rooms have French balconies. I hope that Couples makes these rooms a category in themselves. Certainly I would hate to get to my room and find I had no proper outside space - I would insist on moving.

We are very excited about Couples in Barbados. We went to Barbados several years ago and loved the island but the resort we stayed at was literally overrun with kids. We will always come back to Couples in Jamaica because that is truly our home away from home but I think we will have to try Couples Barbados in 2014. We always wished Couples would have resorts on other islands. It is just nice to have a change of scenery once in awhile. We will be anxious to see what the prices will be for next year. Can't wait until it is totally Couples with a new website. I'm sure the website will be as fantastic as it is for Couples in Jamaica. See you this June/July at CN.

Ironically we had looked very seriously at taking our 25th anniversary trip to Barbados some years ago, but settled instead on our first trip to Jamaica and CSA and have never looked back. Now that Barbados has a Couples resort available we may take another look at that destination some time in the future. Mrs. dirtleg is particularly intrigued with the idea.

Congratulations, hope this venture works out very well for both Couples and guests alike.

On the previous announcement Randymon said there would not be an A/N area as nudity is illegal in Barbados. However, in checking out Barbados, it's illegal on the "beaches" because all beaches are public. Maybe we can talk Couples into making one of the pools A/N, kind of like CSS's sunset beach just without the beach or the small area that is the great island at CTI. It's on private property right?? The property already has a couple of pools and they're adding another, surely one of them is private/secluded enough to make it A/N. One could hope, right?